Broadland electrical, battery and textile collection service

Grey Broadland recycling bin with three carrier bags containing electricals, textiles and batteries next to it

We now offer a FREE electrical, battery and textile collection service from your home.

Items are collected weekly on your rubbish and recycling bin collection day.

Please place items in a tied weatherproof standard size carrier bag, or smaller, next to your rubbish or recycling bin by 6:30am for collection. You can put more than one bag out for collection.

Items must be:

  • contained in the bag or they will not be collected
  • separated by waste type and not mixed, for example, please place electrical items in one bag, batteries in another and textiles in another as the items are sent to different places for recycling or reuse

Please note:

  • items that are in larger bags, such as bin liners, black sacks and charity bags will not be collected
  • bags cannot be returned and must be weatherproof, such as plastic to help keep the items dry in bad weather
  • items can be placed in smaller bags
  • this service is for Broadland residents only

What to do if my bin has been emptied but my bags are not collected?

If your items are not collected at the same time as your bin, providing you have not been left a note to say why the items have been left, please place out the following week. Please be aware that once the vehicle is full to capactity, we will not be able to take anymore.

Collections for communal bins

This service is initially for properties that have their own individual bins and not communal/shared bins. Trials will take place for these bins and residents will be notified in advance. If you do not have access to this service, please continue to reuse items, wherever possible through friends, family, recycling centres, charity shops and online sites. If the items are not reusable they can be recycled at some drop off points such as Norfolk County Council recycling centres, textile banks and battery banks that are often in stores that sell batteries such as supermarkets. Alternatively, for small items you can place them in your rubbish bin at home and for larger electrical items, such as white goods you can arrange for a bulky waste collection service or take to Norfolk County Council’s recycling centres.

What we can collect

  • Electrical items we can collect

    We can accept items that fit in a carrier bag. Example items include:
     

    • toasters and kettles
    • games consoles
    • torches
    • cameras
    • blenders
    • cables and chargers
    • clocks and watches
    • small power tools
    • hairdryers and straighteners
    • electronic bags
    • telephones
    • electronic tablets such as iPads
    • electric toothbrushes
    • LED lights, Christmas lights
    • DVD and CD players, radios, MP3 players
    • remote controls
    • small bedside lamps
    • irons
    • shavers
    • cameras
    • calculators

    This is not a comprehensive list but gives examples of the size and type of item we can collect.

    Note: Please remove batteries from electrical items and place them in a separate bag for collection.

    Electrical items we cannot collect

    We cannot accept items larger than a carrier bag, for example:  
     

    • TVs and PC monitors
    • white goods such as dishwashers, fridges and washing machines
    • lightbulbs
    • commercial items
    • glass or ceramic items such as slow cookers and glass kettles

    What to do with larger electrical items?

    If larger electrical items are in working order and suitable for reuse these can be sold or given away for free. If the items are not suitable for reuse they can be taken to any of the Norfolk County Council recycling centres. If you are unable to transport items, you can pay for a bulky waste collection service.

    What happens to the electrical items collected?

    All of the electrical items collected are taken to Wiser Recycling in Thetford, Norfolk, which is an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF). The items collected are reused wherever possible and where this isn’t possible, they are broken down and recycled.

  • Battery types we can collect:

    • household batteries AA, AAA, C, D, 6V, 9V
    • mobile phone batteries
    • button batteries including hearing aid batteries

    Batteries we cannot collect:

    • large batteries such as those designed for vehicles
    • rechargeable batteries
    • sealed lead acid/gel

    What to do with car batteries that cannot be collected

    Car batteries can be taken to Norfolk County Council recycling centres. They can also be taken to some garages for disposal and recycling. They cannot be placed in your rubbish bin at home.

    What happens to the batteries collected?

    The batteries are being recycled through the BatteryBack.org compliance scheme. There are different ways to recycle batteries depending on the battery type, such as alkaline, zinc-carbon and lead-acid batteries. Batteries are broken down to recover the raw materials, for example they may be shredded and heated at high temperatures. Materials recovered include plastic, iron, steel, nickel, cadmium and copper that can be used to make new batteries and steel.

  • Textiles we can collect:

    • clothing
    • blankets
    • towels
    • pillowcases, sheets and duvet covers
    • hats
    • belts
    • handbags
    • shoes tied together in pairs

    Textiles we cannot collect:

    • duvets
    • pillows
    • cushions
    • soiled textiles

    What to do with textiles that cannot be collected

    Textiles can be placed in your rubbish bin if there is space and the lid remains closed. Alternatively they can be taken to Norfolk County Council recycling centres.

    What happens to the textiles collected?

    Items that are suitable for reuse are currently sent to places in the UK and Ghana. Items that are not suitable for reuse are sent for recycling in the UK. Textiles can be recycled and used for mattress fillers, car seat fillers and also rags for wipers in the motor industry.